Golf practice apparatus



Sept. 29, 1925; 1,555,124

G. H. LAMBERT GOLF PRACTICE APPARATUS Filed Iafch 31 1923 2 5hets$heet 1 gwventotg Sept. 29, 1925.

G. H. LAMBERT GOLF PRACTICE APPARATUS Filed March 51 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES GEORGE H. LAMBERT, OF ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

GOLF PRACTICE APPARATUS.

Application filed March 31, 1923. Serial No. 629,081.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. LAMBERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Asheville, in the county of Buncombe and State of North Carolina, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Golf Practice Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Theobjcct of this invention is to provide a convenient and portable apparatus by means of which golfers may practice the game either indoors or outdoors.

The invention comprises a teeing platform to which a tethered or captive ball is attached beneath by a special returning spring, with or without an alarm or signal, the ball being connected with its tether in such way as to prevent kinking the tether, as 1 will proceed now to explain more fully and finally claim.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus displayed as in use. Fig. 2 is an inverted perspective view of the spring, tether and ball and one form of alarm or signal. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the ball. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the form of alarm shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an inverted. plan view. of a modified form of spring arrangement. Figs. 6 and 7 show respectively in sectional elevation and top plan view another form of alarm or signal.

A frame 1 is provided with a teeing platform 2 substantially such as forms the subject of my Patent No. 1,276,775, granted August 27, 1918.

Beneath the teeing platform is mounteda main spring 3 in any suitable housing 4, and to this spring is attached directly or otherwise a tether 5, which is led out from the spring beneath the platform through an eye or guide 6 in said platform 2 or otherwise,

so that the spring may be concealed and removed from danger. To the other end of the tether is attached a ball 7 of any suitable or approved form, suitable for practice or other purposes. In the preferred construction, the ball is provided with a diametrically arranged tube 8, and in this tube is mounted a bail 9, and this bail is provided with a stirrup-like element 10 of suitable material, provided with a loop or eye 11 to which the tether 5 is fastenedsee details in Fig. 3. The bail 9 may be of piano wire, or

wire of equivalent strength and resiliency, and the ends of the bail may be connected with the stirrup-like element 10 by clips 12 or other suitable means, and this element 10 may be of any suitable material adapted to contribute to the return of the ball after it has been struck, without tending to kink or tangle the tether.

The platform 2 may be supplied-with a tee 13 of any suitable or approved construction.

14 is a platform on which the player may stand, same being shown as a strip of material. This platform may be supported on a rigid backing if desired, or built into a frame. The platform 14 is preferably of rubber, or like waterproof material, that will give a good footing for the player, and platform 2 is of similar material.

As shown-in Fig. 2, the tether 5 may be connected to the spring 3 by means of a connecting link 15. The spring will be strong enough to return the ball to the teeing platform after it has flown the length of the tether plus the extension ofthe spring. In this return the swivel connection of the tether with the ball will'permit the ballto roll back without liability of kinking or twisting the tether or becoming entangled in the tether.

The spring may be connected up to operate any'suitable alarm or signal for the purpose of constantly informing the golfer that the spring is functioning. This alarm or signal may be of any approved construction. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the alarm or signal is in the nature of a detonating device, and comprises an anvil 16 rising from a base 17 which is screwed orotherwise'fastened to the platform 2. The anvil and the base may be connected by the side pieces 18, and between these side pieces'is pivoted a hammer 19 provided with a head 20 to strike a detonating device, such as a cap like those used in toy pistols and the like, held in or applied to the anvil 16. This hammer is held down as in Fig. 4 by means of a trigger 21, whose outer end 22 engages the outer end of the hammer. The hammer is engaged by a spring, such as a two-armed coiled spring 23, one arm of which is fastened to the hammer and the other to the anvil. The trigger 21 projects beyond the anvil toward the main spring 3 and is exposed to the reaction of the main spring after the ball has reached its extreme flight recoil. but may be sounded by the impact of the and is returning, the impact of the reacting main spring moving the trigger to release the hammer and thereby enabling the spring 23 to violently raise the hammer against the anvil and explode the cap.

Instead of a detonating alarm or signal, I may use a bell as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and in this case I provide an attaching base 24 having the parallel sides 25, the edges of which are constructed with one or more adjacent outwardly extending notches 26 adapted to receive the trunnions 27 on the ends of a shouldered bar 28 carrying the bell 29. Series of notches 26 are provided in order to permit of the adjusting of the bell nearer to or farther from the sounding de vice,- to increase or diminish the volume of sound in accordance with the strength of the The bell need not have a clapper,

returning spring.

Obviously other forms of alarms or signals may be used, and connected up in any suitable way for operation either by the returning ball or by the ball when in flight. Inorder to relieve excessive strain on the main spring, the spring may be connected with the tether through the medium of a loop 30 in the connecting link 15, having a loose engagement with a bridle 31 which is connected-to the side springs 32 arranged upon opposite sides of the main spring, and these springs 32 may be connected at their ends by means of a bridle 33 with the adjacent end of the main spring, the connection of the main spring withthe bridle 33 being shown as a hooked end 3 1 of the main spring. This hook connection 34 may be used as the means for operating the trigger 21 or for striking the bell when the alarm or. signal is used. The bridle 31 may be held in place and guided by means of guide eyes 35 formed as a part of the spring base 36, and so also the bridle 33 may be passed through eyes or guides 37 on this same base.

It will be obvious that as the main snrin is pulled out a given distance by the flight of the ball, the loop 30 will engage the bridle 31 and thus add to the main spring the power of the side springs 32. Such accretion of resistance will be especially useful when the golf ball is hit hard and carried far and the golfer may rely with entire safety upon the proper return of the ball,

due to the increased spring pressure.

The main spring may be held securely so that it will not give backward on the recoil. Or, as shown in Fig. 5, the bridle 33 may be connected with the eye 34: of the main spring and the ends of the bridle attached to independently anchored outside coiled springs 38. These two springs hold the bridle tight against the end of the housing of the main spring, thus preventingthe main spring from being pulled forward through the housing when the ball is struck. When the main spring recoils, these two springs 38 allow it to spring backward and serve to re lieve excessive strain.

If need be, the forward bridle 31 may be connected up with independent springs 39.

In all cases, the spring or springs and the connection between the spring and the tether are located beneath the teeing platform and out of the way of the player.

Variations in the details of construction and the arrangement of the parts may be made within the principle of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is 1. A golf practice apparatus, comprising a teeing platform, a frame on which it is mounted, and a ball-returning spring ar ranged beneath the platform and concealed from view, a tether leading from the spring outwardly through the platform, and a ball provided with a diametrically arranged tube and a stirrup in said tube and connected with said tether.

2. A golf practice apparatus, comprising a tceing platform, a frame on which it is mounted, and a ball-returning main spring arranged beneath the platform and concealed from view, a tether connected to the main spring and leading therefrom outwardly, a ball loosely connected with the tether, and auxiliary springs directly connected with the main spring at one end and indirectly applied to the main spring through the tether connection.

3. A golf practice apparatus, comprising a teeing platform, a frame on which it is mounted, and a ball-returning main spring arranged beneath the platform and concealed from view, a tether, a ball loosely connected with the tether, auxiliary springs arranged alongside the main spring, a bridle directly connecting the main spring and auxiliary springs at one end, a bridle connecting the auxiliary sprmgs at the op posite end, and a link connecting the tether and main spring and having a loop engaging the last-named bridle whereby the auxiliary springs are brought into action when the main spring is extended.

4. A golf practice apparatus, comprising a teeing platform, a frame on which it is mounted, and a ball-returning main spring arranged beneath the platform and concealed from view, a tether connected to and leading from the main spring outwardly, a link in said connection, a ball loosely connected with the tether, auxiliary springs directly connected with the main spring at one end, and a bridle connecting the auxiliary springs at their opposite end and also engaging said link, whereby the resilience of the auxiliary springs is applied to the main spring to control the recoil of the main spring.

5. A golf practice apparatus, comprising a teeing platform, a frame on which it is mounted, and a ball-returning spring arranged beneath the platform and concealed from View, a tether leading from the spring outwardly, a ball loosely connected With the tether, and an alarm or signal arranged in the path of movement of the ball-returning spring and operated by the recoil of the spring.

6. A golf practice apparatus, comprising a teeing platform, a frame on which it is mounted, and a ball-returning spring arranged beneath the platform and concealed from View, a tether leading from the spring outwardly, a ball loosely connected with the tether, and an alarm or signal mounted upon the platform in operative relation to the ball-returning spring at the recoil end of the spring and actuated by said spring upon its return movement.

7. In a golf practice apparatus, a golf ball and a tether therefor, the ball having a diametrically arranged tube open at both ends, and a bail arranged in said tube and having a stirrup-like element connected to the adjacent end of the tether.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29 day of March A. D. 1923.

GEORGE H. LAMBERT 

